For many people, watching movies is an integral part of the holiday season. For some, this means watching the same Christmas classics every year. Others are drawn to newer films, heading to the local theater or streaming the latest festive Hollywood release.
24/7 Tempo has identified the 45 best Christmas movies ever made — one for each day until Christmas — based on critics and audiences movie ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and user rating on Internet Movie Database.
The 45 films illustrate that there is a type of holiday film for everyone. Numerous genres are represented, ranging from action to comedy, romance, and horror. There are at least some surprises.
For example, “Die Hard” is not on the list and “Iron Man 3” is. (Bruce Willis has insisted “Die Hard” is not a Christmas movie, so we omitted it, and Marvel has officially declared the third installment of the Iron Man franchise is, so we included it.)
There is also an almost perfect split between older and newer films — 23 of the 45 movies on the list were released after 2000. The older holiday flicks were released between 1938 and the late 1990s, and most of them are ranked in the top 20 of the best Christmas movies ever.
In a rush to produce a hit movie, however, sometimes filmmakers miss the mark and make mistakes. For every now considered classic Christmas movie, there is a flop few movie fans remember — these are the worst holiday movies ever made.
Click here for the best Christmas movies of all time
Methodology
To determine the essential films to include in your Christmas movie marathon, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of November 2021. All ratings were weighted equally. Only movies with at least 25,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes were considered. Only films in which the Christmas season plays an important role in the plot, or were otherwise identified as Christmas movies by Box Office Mojo, the Countdown Until Christmas Christmas movie database, and Vulture magazine were considered. Information on directorial credits comes from IMDb.
45. A Christmas Carol (2009)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (107,074 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 58% (776,271 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 53% (202 reviews)
> Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
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44. The Nativity Story (2006)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (11,199 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (82,860 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 37% (131 reviews)
> Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke
43. The Polar Express (2004)
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (187,388 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 63% (242,647 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 56% (208 reviews)
> Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
42. Last Holiday (2006)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (30,260 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 67% (373,020 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 55% (123 reviews)
> Directed by: Wayne Wang
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41. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (33,761 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 62% (55,621 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 60% (35 reviews)
> Directed by: Les Mayfield
40. The Family Man (2000)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (106,454 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 67% (194,742 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 53% (129 reviews)
> Directed by: Brett Ratner
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39. A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011)
> IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (67,373 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 59% (44,231 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 68% (131 reviews)
> Directed by: Todd Strauss-Schulson
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38. Last Christmas (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (60,337 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (6,408 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 47% (208 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul Feig
37. The Night Before (2015)
> IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (69,089 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 61% (31,497 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 69% (161 reviews)
> Directed by: Jonathan Levine
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36. This Christmas (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 6.3/10 (8,959 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (73,019 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 55% (84 reviews)
> Directed by: Preston A. Whitmore II
35. The Holiday (2006)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (261,104 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (507,808 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 49% (158 reviews)
> Directed by: Nancy Meyers
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34. The Santa Clause (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (103,793 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 65% (369,626 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (58 reviews)
> Directed by: John Pasquin
33. Serendipity (2001)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (107,595 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (228,259 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 59% (141 reviews)
> Directed by: Peter Chelsom
32. The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (76,551 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 70% (62,368 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 70% (56 reviews)
> Directed by: Renny Harlin
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31. Scrooged (1988)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (91,619 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 71% (77,593 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 69% (49 reviews)
> Directed by: Richard Donner
30. The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (64,222 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (1,557 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (58 reviews)
> Directed by: Clay Kaytis
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29. Love Actually (2003)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (447,898 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 72% (31,626,919 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 64% (224 reviews)
> Directed by: Richard Curtis
28. The Ref (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (23,990 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (27,017 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (54 reviews)
> Directed by: Ted Demme
27. Better Watch Out (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (34,252 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 65% (4,614 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (65 reviews)
> Directed by: Chris Peckover
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26. The Best Man Holiday (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (15,359 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (52,758 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 70% (97 reviews)
> Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee
25. Happiest Season (2020)
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (31,005 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (948 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (204 reviews)
> Directed by: Clea DuVall
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24. Batman Returns (1992)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (285,285 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (641,508 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (84 reviews)
> Directed by: Tim Burton
23. Bad Santa (2003)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (138,068 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (200,982 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (221 reviews)
> Directed by: Terry Zwigoff
22. Home Alone (1990)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (507,829 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (1,027,095 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 66% (58 reviews)
> Directed by: Chris Columbus
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21. While You Were Sleeping (1995)
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (96,173 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (216,626 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (61 reviews)
> Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
20. Iron Man 3 (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (791,235 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (485,776 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (328 reviews)
> Directed by: Shane Black
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19. Rise of the Guardians (2012)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (163,799 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (124,361 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (161 reviews)
> Directed by: Peter Ramsey
18. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (165,817 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (222,757 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (46 reviews)
> Directed by: Jeremiah S. Chechik
17. Elf (2003)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (238,718 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (909,911 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (194 reviews)
> Directed by: Jon Favreau
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16. Gremlins (1984)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (207,647 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (451,959 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (72 reviews)
> Directed by: Joe Dante
15. Arthur Christmas (2011)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (54,530 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (15,497 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (169 reviews)
> Directed by: Sarah Smith & Barry Cook
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14. Carol (2015)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (122,012 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (29,764 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (313 reviews)
> Directed by: Todd Haynes
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13. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (51,864 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (122,361 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 76% (51 reviews)
> Directed by: Brian Henson
12. White Christmas (1954)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (36,513 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (50,190 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 77% (43 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Curtiz
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11. Tangerine (2015)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (29,198 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (11,401 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (160 reviews)
> Directed by: Sean Baker
10. A Christmas Carol (1938)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (6,690 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (56,582 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (13 reviews)
> Directed by: Edwin L. Marin
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9. A Christmas Story (1983)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (136,883 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (286,048 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (57 reviews)
> Directed by: Bob Clark
8. The Lion in Winter (1968)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (30,301 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (13,125 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (41 reviews)
> Directed by: Anthony Harvey
7. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (44,085 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (47,635 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (47 reviews)
> Directed by: George Seaton
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6. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (22,263 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (37,079 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (33 reviews)
> Directed by: Vincente Minnelli
5. The Night of the Hunter (1955)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (85,564 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (24,773 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (77 reviews)
> Directed by: Charles Laughton
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4. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (309,910 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (968,895 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (97 reviews)
> Directed by: Henry Selick
3. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (30,166 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (11,972 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (37 reviews)
> Directed by: Ernst Lubitsch
2. Klaus (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (119,752 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (2,481 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (70 reviews)
> Directed by: Sergio Pablos
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1. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (422,428 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (219,179 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (87 reviews)
> Directed by: Frank Capra
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